Firefighters support county false alarm lawCarroll's...

CARROLL COUNTY BRIEFS

Carroll's volunteer firefighters say the county needs an ordinance to impose penalties on businesses that repeatedly have false fire alarms.

The commissioners agreed yesterday to ask the county attorney to look into whether such an ordinance would be appropriate.

The county is following Westminster's lead.

The city passed an ordinance that took effect in May that fines a business if it has more than three alarms as a result of malfunctioning equipment in a 30-day period or more than five such alarms in a year.

Fines range from $100 to $200.

In July, the commissioners said they would consider an ordinance if county firefighters supported it.

Members of the Carroll County Volunteer Firemen's Association Inc. voted Oct. 4 to support a false fire alarm ordinance, Secretary Ralph E. Dull wrote in an Oct. 12 letter to commissioners.

7 Carroll residents walk for flood victims

Seven Carroll residents -- including one commissioner and five county employees -- walked 6.2 miles Sunday to raise about $300 for Midwest flood victims.

Walk-a-thon organizer Kay Church, a receptionist at the County Office Building and an avid walker, had hoped for a larger turnout.

But yesterday she thanked the walkers and others who helped.

"It was an effort from the heart," she said.

Three local businesses donated food and drinks for the walkers, and several other county employees helped run the event, Mrs. Church said.

The money raised will be sent to residents of Hancock County, Ill., at the confluence of the Des Moines and Mississippi rivers.

The county and several towns are collecting money and items to send to residents there.